Website Reflection

Check out my class website. I had a great time with my girlfriend making the site. W e used ichat and shared the screen. I needed to tutor for this assignment and my girlfriend makes websites professionally. Cool! Except she lives in Plano, Texas. I didn't know how that would work, but it came together really well. We were both able to work see the same screen and work on it. It was very enjoyable to do this project together not talking about family or husbands etc. I even got my class website for my real class set up with gmail.
I was not looking forward to taking this class. It frightened me because I do not have much computer experience. Now it is done and I actually enjoyed the class. There were moments of terror, but with Jeff and my peers support I have finished triumphant!

Making my first imovie

I had a great time with the movie project. It will be something to share over the years at family gatherings. I actually think I could make another imovie without too much trouble. This class has taught me so much. I have a hard time keeping up, but have been blessed with caring people around me willing to assist. I am pressing into the world of today, for better or worse. I get upset with technology until I think of how it keeps me in touch with those I love. Without today's technology I wouldn't be able to daily talk with my daughters and grandson who live so far away. Technology 486 has been a hard and stressful road, but I am glad I was forced to tread it. I will be a better teacher because I took this course.

Virtual Tour of Japan, family style

After many tries, I discovered my error and was able to upload my video! I hope you enjoy it.

Imovie frustration

Ok so after about 45 min the imovie upload dropped. I then tried all of the quick time downloads, nothing! It downloads off imovie but will not upload to the blog. I then tried my daughter-in-laws 1 min imovie. It had the same problem. After the upload it says error try again later. I checked my pictures again and they are at 72pix. I tried my flash drive, it's really big, same problem. My daughter-in-law tried to put it in the blog same thing. I am sure I am not doing something right. It has to be simple to fix and I am just not figuring it out. It is an 9 version if that makes any difference. If I can't get it done next class I will go to the apple store and have them check it out. I think I am doing something wrong just don't know what, but I have now spent hours trying to get the finished product on my blog and I am frustrated!
Carol
Ok, I discovered the problem. You need to publish post before you try to see the video on your blog! Like I thought, an easy answer. Never the less, I learned a lot from my ignorance. Success is sweet.

American Revolution

Here is my second attempt at using inspiration (kidspiration). It was more fun than the first because I had unlimited time to play around with it. Still don;t know how to do the notes,but hopefully I will find out soon.

This was fun but stressful. I need more time to do these projects. My learning curve is pretty big when I am on a level playing field. It is like I am on a different planet. I am still getting my bearings. I am learning soo much! I just try and finish my work in class because I am afraid I will hit a wall of stupidity and not be able to finish the work. I am taxing to those around me, but up to now they are kind and helpful. I remember the story of the little engine that could, I think I can ,I think I can, I think I can.. Just keep moving forward and you will get there.

Insperations

This is a tough class for me. I cried last Tuesday because of the stress. I'm not used to being the slow kid. I guess it's really good for me to understand my special education kids

Scavenger Hunt

digtial photo collection

What a challenge. This is not easy to do. Why? Because there are so many new things to do at the same time. I need one on one help or a detailed task analysis! Thanks for the help scanning, I love that picture of my grandson. Jeff and Ashlee were big helps in making my screen shot. Ashlee was very helpful with the online photo. What can I say. Practice, practice, practice! Need time with tutor just to practice.

LESSOON PLANS!

Lesson plans at this point in my education are a four letter word. I have taught in various settings for most of my adult life and of course had to have plans. Lesson plans in special education are long and tedious.... Not fun. It is fun to decide what your going to teach and how your going to present the material, but after that the fun is over. I always struggle deciding which standards are being used, but this plan took the cake! My partner and I had some disagreement on what standards we should list, our list is huge. I have been called out on that before, but by the time we got to refining the lesson I was really tired. I also have a love hate relationship with technology. I think it can make lessons vastly more interesting, but with one click you can lose parts of your lesson plan or you activity! This of course happened to us. about 45min. before class was over we noticed that two of our sections had vanished! It turned out ok and was a learning experience in how we could retrieve the lost material. Flash drives are important! We will make sure we use ours better from now on.
I actually enjoyed working with my partner. We got together on Saturday, we are not so good at distance collaboration yet, had enjoyed our time together. We became better friends. I liked what our lesson was about because I have personal interest in Japan, my oldest child has lived there for five years. I think it was a positive experience overall. I hesitate to say I'm glad we did it, but I did learn from the process. This class has been good for me. I am usually intimidated by the things we do, but I think it is the only way I would become updated in my technology skills. Kicking and screaming into this century.

Tornadoes

Tornadoes

http://www.yorkville.k12.il.us/webquests/webqlachance/index.htm
This is a web quest for an elementary science class. This looks like a good classroom activity that engages students

City Life or Desert Life

http://projects.edtech.sandi.net/kimbrough/desert/

Great webquest for middle elementary school students. It contans individual and group work exploring the differences between these two environments as a space alien would view them. Looks fun!

Center on instruction is a good website for looking at guidelines for instruction. It has contributors from Florida State, the University of Houston, the University of Texas, and a cooperative agreement with the US Department of Education. This site gives the outline for who is responsible for what in the education process: teachers, administrators, special education instructors, and students. Reading, math, science, and English are subjects covered in this site. There is a Hot Topic area that addresses issues like adolescent literacy. I found the information in this site good for rules and who should do what, but not good for giving explicit examples of how it is done. It read like a text book which can be useful , but not really engaging. I enjoyed this activity because I don't know how to do any of this stuff. Everything is new and exciting. The assignment moved a little fast for me, but I am no longer a nervous reck because I know I will receive the extra help I require. I feel that I am truly learning and that is exciting.

How to evaluate a web site for use in my classrooom

The Virtual Chase
This site seemed to have pretty good information and checklists for website evaluations.
"Good information is accurate, complete, objective, authoritative and timely (at the time of publication). The strategies listed below help researchers detect bad information. Follow each of the links for more information about the strategy as well as examples of Web sites that illustrate good or bad information."

Identify the Source
Discover the Source's Expertise
Determine the Level of Objectivity
Establish the Date of Publication
Verify What the Information Claims
Printable Evaluation Checklist

Portfolios

I think portfolios are a great idea. I am glad that I have a portfolio already started through my classes at UT. I always try to put things in a place that I will not forget, but usually do. If I put my professional material in my digital portfolio I will not misplace it or accidentally throw it out. I think it is also a good idea to keep students records in a digital file. Once the school lost my son's 504 paper work so I had to bring my copy to school to show them. If it had been stored in a digital file it most likely would not have been lost. Another advantage to digital portfolios is in job seeking. Developing a showcase portfolio is a good way to show your work to potential employers no matter where they are located. Lastly, as the text noted digital portfolios can reduce the paper work for special educators! YES!

What I what to learn in 486

This class is frightening to me because have such a large deficit in the area of technology.I have waited to the last possible semester to enroll in this course because of my fear. In my high school we had two computers for the entire school! Basic calculators were just available to the public at about $100 a pop. When I started college in 1976 we still typed our papers on typewriters. Technology is not a natural instinct for me. I want to be updated into this century with this course. That maybe asking
too much of one course, but it at least is a start. I want to be able to use technology in my classroom such as using an active board, have a class website where students and parents can get current class information, be able to enter information on the parent portal, keep records, enhance my lessons with supplements from the web, and be able to use many things I am not even aware of yet. I want to be able to surf on the computer and not be stumped. I feel my age and life experiences are an asset for an entering teacher except for this one area. Hopefully after this course I will not always embarrass myself in the area of computer use.

Informal into to 486

My name is Carol Avery. I was born at Fort Sanders Hospital. I went to Bearden High School and graduated in 1976. I have six children of varying academic abilities which caused me to be involved with special education on a parental level twenty years ago. Now that I have more time I am interested in helping other children navigate through our educational system successfully on the professional level. I am interested in elementary and middle school levels of teaching, elementary to help give children a good beginning and middle to help those who are falling behind gain a second wind.I enjoy spending time gardening, decorating, and cooking. I guess that could be a result of being an at home mom for 27 years.